The Home Office lowered the marriage visa age to 18 for serving members of the armed forces and their partners.

The Home Office stated:  ‘With effect from 6 April 2010, we have lowered the minimum age at which a person may be granted permission to come to or stay in the UK (also known as 'leave to enter or remain') as the spouse, civil partner, fiancé(e), proposed civil partner, unmarried partner or same-sex partner of a serving member of HM Forces. The minimum age, which was 21 years, is now 18 years.

The age at which a serving member of HM Forces can sponsor a marriage visa application is also reduced from 21 to 18.

This change applies only to serving members of the armed forces and their partners. The marriage visa age remains unchanged at 21 for all other British or settled sponsors and their partners.’